Varuni Agrawal is a sprightly 29-year-old young lady with Down’s Syndrome. She is a Teacher’s Assistant at Tagore International School in Delhi. Her parents and siblings, have, of course, been her support all the way. A tete-a-tete with Varuni and her parents on her desires and aspirations:
Rajeev and Nita Agrawal: Varuni's parents:
Varuni is a beautiful and vivacious girl. She enjoys Bollywood movies and music and loves to play music on Youtube and dance to it.
When and how did you detect that she has a condition?
Right at the time of birth. We were informed by the doctors at the very outset.
How did you cope with the news after the diagnosis?
Initially it was difficult as we did not have enough information. Eventually, with the support of our family, we accepted it and actively worked towards improving our quality of life. (contd after the box)
Varuni Agrawal: Life is an opportunity
What does your work as a Teacher’s assistant entail?
I assist the Nursery teacher at Tagore International school. I’m in charge of monitoring the students and helping with creative activities.
Do you enjoy your work? Have you thought of doing anything else?
I love being a teacher but I also want to be a Fashion Designer.
Did you always want to work?
Yes.
How much encouragement did you get from your family?
My family encourages me to work hard and be independent.
How have the people at work been with you?
I have a good circle of colleagues
Do you have a social circle of friends with whom you spend time outside work?
Yes. I have 10 best friends. We go for movies, coffee, birthday parties and holidays. We also meet for a kitty party once a month.
Tell us a little about your education.
After school I attended a two-year ‘Teacher’s assistant Programme’ at Shri Ram School
Do you have extra curricular interests?
I love to dance. I’ve been trained in Kathak.
Please share with us what else you would like to do.
I would like to travel alone to Bombay by air to meet my brother.
Was it Varuni’s decision to go out and work?
Yes it was. She noticed that all her siblings and cousins close to her age were going out and getting jobs. This encouraged her to be independent and have an identity of her own.
Varuni attended a special section in a regular girls’ school for many years. It was not possible for her to grasp maths or grammar and she would return with red marks all over her report card, doing nothing for her self confidence.
Then she was enrolled into the Teacher’s Assistant Programme (TAP). The very perceptive special educators identified the assets of each of their wards and trained them accordingly. All of them were very good with handling little children and they were taught class room management, etc. Most importantly, they were given a purpose and the confidence that they were being useful in society. The young special teachers were subsequently absorbed in regular schools as nursery teacher’s assistants, promoted to KG or class 1 teacher’s assistants, according to ability.
Did you encourage her to work?
Yes. Of course. Everyone should have something they are proud of.
What have been your biggest challenges in raising her? Have you faced any stigma?
We were very lucky to be blessed with a supportive family and friends. Probably the big challenges were finding the right doctors/educators who would guide us to the right path. Every child is different and has his own unique path to follow. Maybe we did face stigma from random strangers, but that did not deter us.
Did it help that she had siblings?
It definitely helped that she had siblings. Her elder brother was her constant protective companion. Her younger sister became her friend and confidante. They grew up learning and observing each other. She grew up with not just siblings but an entire network of cousins who contributed to her development and growth.
How has Varuni’s work experience helped her ?
Her work experience has given her an identity and confidence. She looks forward to meeting her students and feels responsible for them. On ‘Teacher’s Day’ she proudly shows-off the cards and flowers that she receives from her students.
Varuni is standing third from the left in the pic above
What changes do you think can bring about inclusion?
More awareness and opportunities for people of all abilities.
What is your message to people with Down’s Syndrome and their parents?
Life has given me a rare opportunity to observe the process of development of thought and logic, in slow motion. Normal kids grow up so fast and complicated that parents hardly have a chance to observe their progress and suddenly realize that they have become adults. With special children, it’s in slo-mo.
I continue to marvel at their linear, undistracted thought process, something we all aspire to, when trying to concentrate on any singular job.
There is a poem that resonates with us- Welcome to Holland
